Exhaust gas recirculation line holder

ABSTRACT

In an exhaust gas recirculation line holder of an internal combustion engine wherein a line section of an exhaust gas recirculation line is integrated into the holder which is supported on the engine block and/or the vehicle frame, the holder is provided with a shaped part, in particular a cast part, with the line section of the exhaust gas recirculation line formed therein and a support structure also being formed integrally with the holder so that manufacturing costs, assembly time and assembly expenditure are reduced.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to an exhaust gas recirculation line holder of an internal combustion engine.

An exhaust gas recirculation system is used to reduce nitrogen oxides (NO_(x)) during combustion of fuels in internal combustion engines, for example in Otto or diesel engines, in order to adhere to the stipulated emissions limit values specifically for internal combustion engines.

The exhaust gas recirculation line is usually configured in the form of a connecting pipe extending between an exhaust gas pipe and an intake pipe and is provided with a control valve. Here, fresh air which is sucked in by the intake pipe is mixed with exhaust gas which is recirculated from the exhaust gas pipe. As a result, the calorific value of a fuel/combustion gas mixture is reduced and the temperature which is required for the formation of nitrogen oxides is no longer reached in the combustion chamber.

DE 197 01 873 C1 discloses a holding device for an exhaust gas recirculation line of an internal combustion engine, wherein the exhaust gas recirculation line is supported on the internal combustion engine via a support which is fixed to the engine. A line section of the exhaust gas recirculation line is included in the support to form one component.

It is the object of the invention to provide an improved exhaust gas recirculation line holder of an internal combustion engine, which reduces time and costs required for the assembly and utilizes installation space in an optimum manner.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In an exhaust gas recirculation line holder of an internal combustion engine wherein a line section of an exhaust gas recirculation line is integrated into the holder which is supported on the engine block and/or the vehicle frame, the holder is provided with a shaped part, in particular a cast part, with the line section of the exhaust gas recirculation line formed therein and a support structure also being formed integrally with the holder.

As a result of this integrated configuration of the exhaust gas recirculation line in a connecting component, the installation space available within the engine compartment is utilized in an optimum manner. A part of the connecting component is preferably in the form of a support element, in particular a support eye. As a result of the integration of a line section of the exhaust gas recirculation line into a connecting component which also includes a support structure in the form of a suspension eye, an additional separate holding device is not needed, as a result of which the manufacturing and assembly costs and assembly time and also the weight of the arrangement are reduced.

In one particular embodiment, the integrated line section of the exhaust gas recirculation line for integration into the connecting structure preferably has an enlarged flow cross section, as a result of which the pressure drop is reduced. Higher exhaust gas recirculation rates can be achieved as a result of the increase in the line cross section. As a result, the emission of nitrogen oxides, in particular of a motor vehicle, can be reduced. As a result of the increase in the line cross section using the same amount of installation space, the latter is utilized in an optimum manner and the weight is reduced considerably.

In one particularly simple embodiment, the connecting structure is formed with the suspension eye and the integrated exhaust gas recirculation line as a shaped part. As a result, separate holding and connecting elements for holding and fastening the exhaust gas recirculation line can be omitted.

Exemplary embodiments of the invention will be described in greater detail below on the basis of the accompanying drawings:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exhaust gas recirculation line holder having an integrated exhaust gas recirculation line and suspension elements for connection to the engine block,

FIG. 2 diagrammatically shows the connecting component according to FIG. 1 in a longitudinal sectional view, and

FIG. 3 diagrammatically shows the holder of FIG. 1 in cross section.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Parts which correspond to one another are provided with the same designations in all the figures.

FIG. 1 shows a holder 1 of a partially integrated exhaust gas recirculation line 2 for an internal combustion engine (not shown).

The holder 1 is arranged in the form of a connecting component between an engine block (not shown) and a vehicle frame (not shown). In the following text, the holder 1 will be described in detail using the connecting component which is denoted in the following text by the reference numeral 1.

In order to hold and fasten the holder 1 on the engine block and/or on the vehicle frame, the holder 1 in the exemplary embodiment has two reinforcing elements 3 (also called a support) which are formed as a single piece and are in the form of fastening flanges. The holder 1 is firstly supported on the engine block or vehicle frame via said reinforcing elements 3. Secondly, the holder 1 is fastened via the reinforcing elements 3 by screw- or threaded bolt connections to the engine block and/or vehicle frame by means of fastening elements which extend through holes 5 of the reinforcing elements 3.

Moreover, the holder 1 according to the invention is configured as a support element 4. As a result of this support element 4 (also called a support eye), components which are integrated into the holder 1, such as, for example, a part 2.1 of the exhaust gas recirculation line 2, can be supported on the vehicle frame. For this purpose, the support element 4 is configured to have for example a circular opening for inserting hooks or the like.

In order to configure the holder 1 as a support device for the exhaust gas recirculation line 2, a line section 2.1 of the exhaust gas recirculation line 2 is integrated into the holder 1 itself. The integrated line section 2.1 of the exhaust gas recirculation line 2 is in the form of a cylindrical hollow body, through which exhaust gases flow. Here, the integrated line section 2.1 has a slightly curved profile in the longitudinal extent. The support element 4 is arranged above the curvature of the integrated part 2.1. Connecting points 6, in particular flanges, are formed at openings 6 on the flow inlet side and the flow outlet side of the integrated line section 2.1 of the exhaust gas recirculation line 2, to which connecting points 6 a line section 2.2 of the exhaust gas recirculation line 2 which comes from the exhaust duct (not shown) of the engine and a line section 2.3 of the exhaust gas recirculation line 2 which leads away to a mixer (not shown) can be connected via connecting elements (not shown). Here, the mixer serves to mix the exhaust gases with fresh air which is supplied, for example, via an intake line 8 which extends in sections parallel to the exhaust gas recirculation line 2.

The holder 1 is formed with the integrated line section 2.1 of the exhaust gas recirculation line 2 and the suspension element 4 as a shaped part. The holder 1 can preferably be produced in a casting process as a cast part, for example of an aluminum alloy.

FIG. 2 shows a diagrammatic cross-sectional view of the holder 1 with integrated exhaust gas recirculation line 2, in longitudinal section.

During the use of the holder 1 which is configured as a support structure 4, the holder 1 is suspended on the vehicle frame by means of a holding element, for example a hook, which is hooked into the support element 4. For this purpose, the support structure 4 is arranged above the integrated line section 2.1 of the exhaust gas recirculation line 2. The reinforcing elements 3 with the openings 5 for fastening to the engine block or the vehicle frame are formed below the integrated line section 2.1.

Here, the integrated line section 2.1 of the exhaust gas recirculation line 2 extends in a curved manner within the holder 1, in such a way that the support structure 4 is arranged in the curvature region between the straight flow inlet 2.1.1 and the straight flow outlet 2.1.2 of the line section 2.1. As a result of the curvature of the line section 2.1, the flow inlet 2.1.1 and the flow outlet 2.1.2 are arranged offset with respect to one another. In each case connecting points 6, for example in the form of connecting flanges, are formed at the flow inlet 2.1.1 and the flow outlet 2.1.2, to which connecting points 6 the line sections 2.2 and 2.3 on the flow inlet side and the flow outlet side of the exhaust gas recirculation line 2 can be connected.

FIG. 3 diagrammatically shows, in a longitudinal sectional view, the holder 1 with the integrated line section 2.1 of the exhaust gas recirculation line 2.

The holder 1 of the exhaust gas recirculation line 2 can be supported on the engine block or the vehicle frame via the protruding reinforcing elements 3 and is fastened in a force-transmitting manner via the openings 5 by means of fastening elements. Here, the components of the holder 1, namely the integrated line section 2.1, the support element 4 and the reinforcing elements 3 and therefore the holder 1 itself, are configured as a shaped part, for example as a cast part. 

1. A holder of an exhaust gas recirculation line (2) of an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle having an exhaust gas recirculation line (2) branching off from an area of the exhaust pipe of the engine which is close to the engine and being connected to an intake line of the internal combustion engine, a line section (2.1) of the exhaust gas recirculation line (2) being integrated into the holder (1) which is supported on one of the engine block and a vehicle frame.
 2. The holder as claimed in claim 1, wherein a part of the holder (1) is in the form of a support structure (4) facilitating its support on the engine or the vehicle frame.
 3. The holding device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the holder (1) is formed with at least one of integrated line section (2.1) in communication with the exhaust gas recirculation line (2) and an integrated support structure (4) in the form of a shaped part. 